Bucks drop first two games of 1956 season

Historically Speaking

The Breckenridge Buckaroos stumbled through the 1956 season without most of their returning starters, who had graduated early in December, so they could start college in the spring and catch the spring practices for football. An example of this included Jerry Payne and Bennett Watts, who had gone off to Oklahoma. Both graduated early in December of 1955 so they could catch the spring semester and the spring practices.

The only returning veteran players were Frank Riggins (C), Joe Fonville (RG) and Larry Munnerlyn (RT). Additionally, the 1955 backup quarterback, Bobby Goswick, was now the starter for the 1956 season.

He played in a few games last year when Watts was injured, but only for a quarter here and there and not enough to be considered a veteran.

Unfortunately, Goswick was on the sidelines for the first few games with a broken right hand. As a result, the backup quarterback, Joe Crousen, would sub for Goswick and the third string quarterback, Jim Wright, would fill-in for Crousen in one of the early games due to Wright being down with the flu. There also was the fourth son of the Buckaroos team doctor, Dr. Frank Payne. Ronnie Payne, who had broken his leg early in the season last year and couldn’t play, but was back this year eager to go at it.

The starting lineup for the 1956 season included: James Potts (LE), Charles Huddleston (LT), Jimmy Demasters (LG), Ronnie Martin (C), Joe Fonville (RG), Larry Munnerlyn (RT), Ronnie Payne (RE), Jim Wright (QB), Jimo Wilson (HB), Gary Ingram (HB) and Maurice Mehaffey (FB).

The Bucks started out with the Sweetwater Mustangs, who scored near the end of the first quarter to make the score, 0-7.

The Bucks took over, but fumbled on the first play at the Buck 44. The Mustangs quickly fumbled also and the Bucks took over on the Mustangs 49. Ingram ran off 18 yards for the Bucks, Mehaffey got 12, Wilson took 14 yards and the Bucks moved to the Mustang 5. Unfortunately, Mehaffey was smeared on the next play for a six yard loss to the Mustang 11 and the Bucks were forced to punt. The Mustangs ran out the clock for the first half. The score was still 0-7 in favor of the Mustangs.

The second half began with the Bucks getting the ball on their own 13 and Wilson took it to the 27. However, six plays later, the Bucks were only to their own 41. Payne was forced to punt.

The Mustangs went for a 64-yard drive in 18 plays for their second touchdown and the extra point was good. The score was now 0-14 and the Bucks needed to get busy.

In the fourth quarter the Bucks failed to rally and were let down with two fumbles at critical times. The Bucks also recovered a fumble of the Mustangs on their own 24 but failed to turn it to their advantage.

The game ended 0-14 for the Mustangs. Ingram and Mehaffey were the big ground gainers with 50 yards for Ingram and 40 yards for Mehaffey and Wilson had managed to rattle off 26 yards.

On Sept. 23, 1956, the Bucks played the 4A Witchita Falls Coyotes and were a three TD underdog for that game. The Bucks were defeated 0-46.

The Bucks had five fumbles with the Coyotes recovering all five and scoring four touchdowns as a result. Then the Coyotes intercepted two passes and converted one of them to a TD. The Coyotes also made a TD off a partially blocked punt by the Bucks.

Meanwhile, the Breckenridge Junior High football team had their first game of the season and beat Stamford, 12-0. Joe Dan Knox got a TD from a 40-yard run and Buddy Langford had a 35-yard run for the second TD.

All 33 boys had a chance to play in the game with coaches Dan LaGrasta and Russell Mc-Murry.

The Bucks would go for their third game of the season, sitting at 0-2 with the Gainesville Leopards on the horizon, having a possible chance to win since the Leopards had won one and lost one.›That game was set for the next week, Feb. 13.